Venue Location: Harlen C. Hunter Stadium (Lindenwood University), St. Charles, Missouri. This college soccer/football venue (approximately 4,000–5,000 capacity) serves as BOHFS St. Louis’s home ground for the match and will host under lights in a classic intimate Open Cup atmosphere with passionate local St. Louis support.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. CT). The game is part of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round (professional vs. amateur/open-division single-elimination matchup) and will be nationally televised on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network. Gates typically open 60–90 minutes prior; tickets are on sale now.
Weather Updates: Cool evening conditions are forecast for kickoff in the St. Louis metro area. Temperatures will drop to 42–50°F (6–10°C) by 8:00 p.m. ET with northwest winds (10–15 mph), humidity around 50–60%, and low chance of precipitation (mostly clear to partly cloudy skies). No weather delays or alerts are expected—perfect for soccer but bundle up for fans in layers.
Injury Report:
- Union Omaha (USL League One): Centre-back Blake Malone is sidelined with foot surgery (expected return late March or later). Otherwise, the squad is at or near full strength with core returnees available following the early-season league opener.
- BOHFS St. Louis (Midwest Premier League / Open Division): As an amateur side, no formal injury reports are issued. The roster appears healthy with recent qualifying signings intact.
Key
Player Matchups (Key Battles):
Union Omaha’s professional depth, experience, and attacking quality should dominate most individual duels against BOHFS’s amateur talent, though set pieces and home energy could create brief threats.
- GK Rashid Nuhu (Union Omaha – all-time appearances leader with 46 clean sheets) vs. BOHFS forwards/qualifying scorers: Nuhu and the pro backline (Brent Kallman, Ryen Jiba, Samuel Owusu) should neutralize amateur finishing comfortably.
- Defensive core (Brent Kallman + Blake Malone out / replacements) vs. BOHFS midfield/attack: Built for USL League One physicality.
- Midfield creators (Prosper Kasim, Aarón Gómez, Laurence Wootton, Isidro Martinez) vs. BOHFS defensive unit: Kasim and Gómez bring vision and energy to control the center.
- Forwards Pato Botello Faz (2025 top scorer) + Sergio Ors Navarro + Dylan Borczak vs. BOHFS backline (including new signing Cole Gerstenberger): Botello Faz’s finishing and pace from the attack will test an unproven amateur defense; expect set-piece and transition dominance.
Expected Union Omaha lineup (typical 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 pro setup): Nuhu; Jiba, Kallman, others; midfield anchored by Kasim/Gómez; attacking trio featuring Botello Faz. BOHFS (recent signings Ognjen Bozovic, Anis Smajlovic, Cole Gerstenberger) relies on local/college talent for counters and upset magic.
Recent Team Forms:
- Union Omaha: L (0-1 vs. Spokane Velocity FC in league opener on March 15—defensive battle with an own-goal loss). Form is early but competitive against top opposition.
- BOHFS St. Louis: Excellent—thrilling 3-2 qualifying final-round win over Chicago House AC plus earlier victories to earn this spot. Offensively capable in amateur ranks but facing a massive step-up.
Series History:
This is the first-ever meeting between BOHFS St. Louis and Union Omaha. In broader Open Cup context, USL League One pros facing MWPL/open-division amateurs advance at ~80–85% historically in similar mismatches. Union Omaha has deep Open Cup experience from prior campaigns.
Betting Trends:
Div. III pros vs. amateur/open-division sides in Open Cup First Round favor the professional team at 80–85% (often by 1–2+ goals, even on the road). Union Omaha’s pedigree, early competitiveness, and historical progression reinforce the pattern. Goal totals trend over when pros push forward; unders possible if they control early. BOHFS’s qualifying momentum contrasts with the quality gap—trends point to comfortable pro wins or clean sheets in comparable games.
MATCH ODDS
Union Omaha – 130
BOHFS St. Louis + 625
Draw + 430
Over 2.5 – 185 Under 2.5 + 115
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, March 17, 2026
